Plural lamp-socket.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

PLURAL LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

898,822. Patented Sept. 15,1908.

mumllhl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBENB. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRICMANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

PLURAL LAMP-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, REUBEN B.'BENJAMIN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Chicago, in'the county of Cook and State of "Illinois,have'invented new and useful Improveme'nts in Plural Lamp Sockets, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accom anying drawing, forming a part of thisspeci cation;

My invention relates to improvements in electric-lamp clusters, andparticularly to improvements in a "type of lamp-cluster which is'adaptedto be inserted into an ordinary lamp receptacle, one of theobjects ofisa broken sectional view, the section being takenbn the'line 3'3 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and showingsome of the'parts in elevation.

In the'several'figures of the drawings, in which like referencenumeralsindicate similarparts throughout, 1 is a base formed ofporcelain or other suitable insulating material, this base having formedthereon or being otherwise provided with a plug 2. This plug 2 isprovided with suitable contacts adapted to coeperate with the contactsof an ordinary lamp receptacle of the Edison type. The'outer contact mayconveniently consist of a corrugated or threaded shell 3, this shellhaving the form of a cup with a central circular opening in its bottom.The plug 2 is formed or provided with a centrally-disposed projection 4which extends through the open ing in the bottom of the cup 3 when thiscup is slipped on to the plug 2.

The plug 2 is formed with an opening 5 extending centrally andlongitudinally therethrough, and with other openings 6 and 7substantially parallel with the opening 5.

Extending through the central opening 5 is a bolt 8, the outer end ofwhich forms the center contact for the plug and upon the inner end ofwhich is secured a plate 9. This plate 9 carries one of the contacts foreach of a plurality of lamps, and, as herein shown,

when adapted for Edison lamps these contacts will be the lamp-holdingsockets 10 and 11. A substantially similar plate 12 is arrangedcross-wisethe plate 11 and also carries a pair of lamp-holding sockets.Each of these lates 9 and 12 is made in the form of a pair 0' ringsconnected by a web portion 13, as shown in Fig. 2. vided with awing-like extension 14, these wing-like extensions 14 having each anoutturned end adapted to be inserted into an undercut recess 15 in thelower side of the base 1.

Upon'the inner side of the base 1 is a circular plate 16 having aplurality of wings 17 extending radially therefrom and adapted to formthe center contacts for the lamps. This plate 16 is formed with acentral circular opening and the inner side of the base is formed with aprojection 18 adapted to ex tend through the opening in the plate 16.

.This projection 18 serves to center the plate 16 on the base 1 andprevents the same from coming in contact with the bolt 8. Extendinglongitudinally through the openings 6 and 7 are bolts 19 and 20. Y Thebolts 19 and 20 pass through the plate 16 and secure it to the base 1.These bolts also serve to secure the outer contact member 3 to the plug2 and to electrically connect the same to the plate 61.

A cover or casing 21 is adapted to engage around its edge the circularedge of the base 1. This cover is formed with suitable openings throughwhich project the lamp sockets. Insulating sleeves or bushings 22,interiorly screw-threaded to cooperate with the threads on thelamp-holding shells 10 and 11, serve, when inserted through the openingsin the cover 21 and screwed on to the lamp-holding shells, to support orsustain the cap or cover 21 and hold it in place against the base 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is: g

1. In a plural lamp socket, a base having a plug upon one of its sidesand a plate upon its opposite side disposed to engage the centercontacts of a plurality of lamps, an outer contact member upon saidplug, and means providing electrical connection between said plate andsaid outer contact.

2. In a plural lamp socket, a base having a plug provided with inner andouter contacts, a plate arranged to engage the inner terminals of aplurality of lamps, and a member Each of the rings is proextendinglongitudinally through .the plug and providing an electrical connectionbetween the outer contact of the plug and said plate.

3. In a plural lamp socket, a base having a plug upon one of its sides,said plug being provided with an outer contact member and an. innercontact for engagement with the contacts of a suitable socket and aplate upon the opposite side of said base in electrical communicationwith the outer contact of the plug, said plate being arranged to engagethe inner terminals of the lamps.

4. In a plural lamp socket, a base having a plug, said plug having anouter contact member thereon, a lamp terminal contacting plate, and abolt extending longitudinally through the plug and securing said outercon tact member and said plate in position and providing electricalcommunication therebetween.

5. In a plug-cluster, the combination of a plurality of threaded shells,a plate secured to said shells, a plug having an outer contact, an innercontact for said plug comprising a bolt extending to and supporting saidplate, a casing supported by said shells, and inner contacts oppositesaid shells electrically connected with the outer contact of the plug.

6. In a plug-cluster, a base having a plug upon its outer side arrangedto engage the center terminals of the lamp and a plate upon its innerside, an outer contact upon said plug in electrical connection with saidplate, a center contact on said plug, another plate secured to said baseand a plurality of lamp holding devices carried by said last-namedplate, said last named plate being arranged in electrical communicationwith said center contact.

7. In a plural lamp socket, a plug carrying a plurality of lamp-holdingdevices, said plug provided with an outer and an inner contact, meansproviding electrical connection between the outer contact of the plugand the inner contacts of the lamps, and means providing electricalconnection between the innor contact of the plug and the outer contactsof the lamps.

8. In a plural lamp socket, a base having an undercut recess, alamp-supporting plate. having shoulders supported in said recess and abolt extending through said plate and through the plug and forming acontact member for said plug.

9. In a plural lamp socket, a base having recesses, a lamp contactsupporting plate having flanges resting in said recesses, a plug uponsaid base having contacts, and a member extending through said plug andassisting to support said plate, said member electrically connectingsaid plate with one of the contacts of the plug.

10. In a plug-cluster, the combination of a base provided with a plugupon one of its sides, said plug having a center contact and an outercontact adapted to cooperate with the contacts of a suitable receptacle,a plate upon the opposite side of said base in electrical communicationwith the outer contact of the plug and adapted to form the inner contactfor each of a plurality of lamps, a plate adapted to conduct current tothe outer contacts of a plurality of lamps, and electrical connectionbetween said last-named plate and the center contact of the plug.

11. In a plug-cluster, the combination of a base having a plug upon oneof its sides and a plate upon its opposite side, a center con-- tact andan outer contact upon said plug adapted to cooperate with the contactsof a suitable receptacle, said plate being electrically connected withsaid outer contact, and a plate in electrical connection with saidcenter contact and adapted to support a plurality of lamps and toprovide an outer contact for each of said lamps.

12. In a plug-cluster, the combination of a base having a plug upon oneof its sides, said plug having a center contact and an outer contact, abolt extending centrally through said plug, a plate secured to saidbolt, said plate serving to conduct current to the outer contact of eachof a plurality of lamps, a plate secured to the inner side of the baseand adapted to provide a center contact for each of the lamps, and abolt extending longitudinally through the plug, said last named boltsecuring said last named plate to the base and efl'ecting electricalconnection bettlveen said plate and the outer contact of the p Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses W. L. FARRAR, C. L. I-Iorxnvs.

